“Talismans? Ghosts?” Gao Ming’s hand tightened around the knife when he heard Fan Li. Gao Ming didn’t trust Fan Li at first, but his conviction shook after the man took out the diary.
“All the rooms on this corridor are numbered 0715. I suspect there is a different version of you living in each one. I don’t know why this is happening. However, I saw a room covered in talismans at the end of the corridor. It is scary.” Fan Li knew that Gao Ming was one of the founders of the Dead Water Forum. Therefore, he didn’t underestimate Gao Ming even though he was just a teenager.
“A corridor filled with the same rooms?” Different choices led to different lives and different versions of Gao Ming. This Gao Ming was cautious and vicious. He was filled with justice but also hatred, or else he wouldn’t have been planning to hunt down the school bully even after he was evicted from school.
“Yes.” Fan Li was shocked. “Have you not left your home to see what it’s like outside?”
“I went to the trash collection centre to pick up some tools for tomorrow this morning.” Gao Ming shook his uniform. His handmade weapons were hidden under the normal uniform.
“So you’ve been out. Did you not discover the ghost in the corridor?” Fan Li was shocked.
“When I went out this morning, everything was normal. I can confirm that there is only one 0715 on this floor. The transformation must have happened after I returned.” Gao Ming pulled off the tape around the mop handle and retrieved another knife. “We’ll leave this place in a minute. If everything is as you said, there can only be two possibilities. One, the ghost appeared after I came back home and created something like a haunted loop. Two, something has messed with my memory. I didn’t even leave this morning, but I was brought to believe that I did.”
Hearing Gao Ming’s analysis, Fan Li was beyond shocked. He didn’t expect the high-schooler to be so rational.
“Okay.” Fan Li took a deep breath. “We can only stay outside for a minute. If it’s longer, the ghost will come after us.”
Fan Li nodded when he saw how excited Gao Ming was. “No wonder he can build up the Dead Water Forum.” Fan Li started the timer when he opened the door. They entered the corridor. Different rooms lined both sides of the old corridor. Each door had its own uniqueness, but all of them had Room Number 0715.
“See. I’m not lying to you.” Fan Li made the countdown in his mind. He glanced at the room opposite subconsciously. Then, his pupils narrowed. “Where is the dead body?!” Gao Ming’s corpse that died from hanging had disappeared! The ground was empty. The electrical wire noose swayed around.
Fan Li felt a chill run up his spine. He wanted to warn Gao Ming, but Gao Ming strode into the opposite room.
“Be careful of the corpse!”
“Can my own corpse kill me?” Gao Ming tied the knife to the end of the mop. He looked at the room that was decorated the same way as his own. His eyes turned round. “Impossible…” Gao Ming switched on the lights and started to search through the room. Fifty seconds passed. Fan Li stood in the corridor, and his heart started racing.
“It’s almost time! Come back!” Fan Li started to sweat. He saw something move in the shadows.
“Don’t rush me.” Gao Ming managed to shove many things in his school bag.
“Quick! The ghost is coming!” Fan Li was very scared.
Holding the weapon and school bag, Gao Ming hurried back. To Fan Li’s surprise, Gao Ming tossed the bag into his room, but he stood at the door. He didn’t close the door but made sure half of his body stayed outside.
“Have you lost your mind?”
“Why won’t the ghost harm the people inside the room? I have to see… What ghost is this?” Gao Ming’s reply froze Fan Li. Compared to the other Gao Ming, this Gao Ming was too crazy.
“You want to see the ghost?!”
“My limbs are shaking, and my back is covered in cold sweat. Chills course through my nerves. I am very scared, but how is that going to help us? I need to kill him.” Gao Ming gripped his weapon. The lights down the distance went out. Arms and legs reached out of the dark. They crawled towards Gao Ming rapidly.
Fan Li yanked Gao Ming and shut the door. Their palms were wet with sweat. “That was too dangerous!”
“It has a human head and a humanoid body. It has many limbs. I’m familiar with his face. I think I’ve seen him before.” Gao Ming scratched his chin.
“You even got a good look at its face?!” Fan Li gave him a thumbs up. “That’s crazy.”
“I think I believe you now.” Gao Ming opened his school bag. He had scored some mental illness diagnostic reports, divorce papers and other miscellaneous items. “Different choices lead to different fates. My parents aren’t divorced. They love each other. We do not have any mental illness history. However, my family chose to make peace with the bullies. They even wanted me to apologise to them. So we have a bad relationship.”
“Each family has its own problem.” Fan Li laughed sadly. His parents were also called to school often due to fighting when he was in school.
“There are many rooms on this floor. There has to be a life where all the choices are perfect.” Gao Ming ran into the bedroom and started to throw food and water into his bag. “We’ll go check out the other rooms. The answer might be hidden in one of the other rooms.”
The sudden knocking froze Fan Li and Gao Ming. They didn’t say anything and turned to the living room door.
Someone was knocking? At this moment?
Fan Li made a gesture. Could the missing corpse be knocking? Or had the ghost not left?
The knocking continued. Fan Li and Gao Ming slunk to the door and checked through the peephole.
Fan Li didn’t recognise the person outside. However, Gao Ming’s expression changed. “Liu Yi? Why is she here? And she looks so mature.”
“Who is Liu Yi?” Fan Li was lost.
“My high-school classmate. She confessed to me, but I rejected her,” Gao Ming said confidently. After that, the two hesitated for a while. Then, they heard the lights outside went out. Gao Ming considered the return of the monster, so he pulled the door open.
In a tight-fitted female suit, Liu Yi pulled her hair up into a ponytail. Her right hand was ready to knock on the door again. Her left hand held a bright red present box.